A Monmouth County woman who lost everything during Superstorm Sandy says that she is still suffering from mental health effects nearly six years later.

“It’s still scary every time a storm comes,” says Tina Riley of Union Beach. “You don’t know what’s going to happen even though we’re elevated. But you always have that thought.”

Riley says that she and her family lost everything they had except for the clothes on their back.

“I go to counseling three days a week for PTSD still,” she says.

Riley says that the 2012 storm has taken its toll on her, both mentally and physically. She says that prior to the storm she weighed 220 pounds, but dropped to only 90 pounds from all the stress of cleaning up after the storm. Riley says that she also suffers from panic attacks if there is any kind of flooding or strong winds forecasted for the area.

“The other day there was a big wind and…I started to panic. I just breathe through it and hope for the best. That's all you can do,” she says.

Riley says that her 13-year-old son is also undergoing counseling.

“My little boy was just texting me. He heard the firetrucks and he said, ‘Mom. Is everything OK? I hear the wind.’ They remember,” she says.

With talks of Hurricane Florence approaching the East Coast, Riley says that it is difficult for her and her family to not have flashbacks. She says that she will try to stay strong for her children, but says that she hopes that she never has to go through another superstorm again.

“I hope [Florence] passes us and gives us a break,” she says.

Mental health experts say that symptoms of PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, typically start to appear in the weeks following a natural disaster.